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TripAdvisor Launches GreenLeaders, Just in Time for Earth Day

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How green is your getaway? To determine exactly how evironmentally responsible your destination is, TripAdvisor has lauched its GreenLeaders program. In the works for over a year, GreenLeaders rates green hotels and B&B’s on a scale of five levels, and broadcasts the exact details of what each of those properties is doing to operate on an energy budget.

Here’s what we love: According to research that spurred GreenLeaders’ development, 70% of travelers showed interest in sustainable travel, but only 25% will do the research to find out if their hotel is green. Now, TripAdvisor users will see a hotel’s green ranking right at the top of the listing—and they’ll also be able to filter for properties that are operating responsibly.

For now, the focus is on environmental sustainability, with 1,000 domestic properties ranked at the program’s debut. (See our Global Vision Award winners for some of our favorite sustainable hotels around the world, along with those doing great things for their communities). The level of detail is impressive—showing, for instance, that the W San Francisco earned their gold rating by converting 75% of their light bulbs to CFLs and using chemical-free laundry detergent, among many other measures. All reports are audited by a third-party consultancy, making them reliable.

So what are TripAdvisor’s greenest cities so far? New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Austin have the most properties certified thus far—with a solid handful of options in each.

Nikki Ekstein is an Editorial Assistant at Travel + Leisure and part of the Trip Doctor news team. Find her at on Twitter at @nikkiekstein.